Company Opens its Compound Library to Help Search for New Anti-Parasitic
                                 Medicines

    NEW YORK, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pfizer announced today
collaboration that gives access to its library of medicinal compounds --
the world's largest -- and also brings scientists from developing countries
into Pfizer's laboratories for training in drug discovery techniques.
    The collaboration with The Special Program for Research and Training in
Tropical Diseases of the WHO (WHO/TDR) is part of a new effort to link the
research resources of a major pharmaceutical company to a global network of
discovery research, and speed the search for new drugs to combat some of
the world's most deadly parasitic diseases, including malaria,
leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and
Chagas' disease.
    Under the arrangement, scientists in institutes affiliated with the
WHO/TDR-sponsored Compound Evaluation Network are testing thousands of
compounds from the Pfizer library. In a process called "screening," the
researchers are seeking to identify "hits" -- compounds that show initial
activity against a range of tropical parasites.
    As part of the collaboration, developing country researchers supported
by a second WHO/TDR network -- the Medicinal Chemistry Network -- are
working with scientists at Pfizer's laboratories in Sandwich, UK, to
further evaluate the "hits" and from those select "lead" compounds -- those
with the greatest potential to be developed into new medicines for
parasitic disease treatment and prevention. They are also being trained by
Pfizer scientists in the latest drug discovery research methods and use of
state-of-the-art tools. Following this training, they will return to their
home countries to deploy their new knowledge and skills.
    "This agreement with Pfizer is a step forward in expanding worldwide
capacity in tropical disease research, because it enhances access to
research tools for developing country researchers and expands access to
large numbers of compounds for screening to identify new leads," said Dr
Robert Ridley, director of WHO/TDR.
    "This collaboration also supports the sharing of knowledge between
developed and developing country scientists, necessary to build research
capacity in developing countries," Ridley added.
    Pfizer has initially provided 12,000 compounds, many of which are known
to have activity against protozoan or helminth parasites. As WHO/TDR
increases screening capacity across its network, Pfizer will provide more
compounds. The company's scientists will identify the compounds most likely
to address biochemical targets associated with anti-parasitic activity.
    "People are suffering in developing countries and we want to help by
sharing resources and boosting research against tropical diseases," said
Dr. Martin Mackay, senior vice president of Research & Technology, Pfizer
Global Research & Development. "This is early-stage research, which means
that effective new treatments are still years downstream, but it certainly
improves the chances of identifying compounds that may lead to new drugs.
We believe public-private research collaborations are vital to tackling
heath challenges in developing countries, and we are already exploring ways
in which our collaboration with WHO/TDR might be expanded to further aid in
the search for drugs with the potential to treat tropical diseases," he
added.
    WHO/TDR's Compound Evaluation and Medicinal Chemistry Networks include
institutes and laboratories worldwide with broad expertise in parasitic
diseases. The Pfizer collaboration, however, provides the TDR-sponsored
networks with greatly expanded access to chemical compounds for screening
and research.
    Dr. Ridley hopes the new Pfizer collaboration will encourage other
companies to join and expand the WHO/TDR Networks, and to explore further
collaborations with developing country researchers in discovery research.
"This can be a model for other industry collaboration. It can help attract
more companies to invest in tropical disease drug discovery," he said.
    Malaria, alone, kills an estimated 1.2 million people a year, mostly in
Africa, according to WHO. Other tropical diseases, while claiming a smaller
death toll, still put the health of millions of people in Africa, Asia and
Latin America at risk every year, and are responsible for an enormous
burden of illness and disability.
    Pfizer is constantly seeking new medicines to treat the most serious
health threats to populations globally, including non-communicable diseases
that have become an increasing concern in the developed world, and
infectious diseases such as malaria, still very prevalent in developing
countries.
    WHO/TDR is an independent global program of scientific collaboration
established in 1975 and co-sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank and
the WHO.
    Pfizer Inc: Working for a healthier world
    Founded in 1849, Pfizer is the world's largest research-based
pharmaceutical company taking new approaches to better health. We discover
and develop innovative medicines to treat and help prevent disease for both
people and animals. Through consistent, high-quality manufacturing and
distribution operations, our medicines reach patients in 180 nations. We
also partner with healthcare providers, governments and local communities
around the world to expand access to our medicines and to provide better
quality healthcare and health system support. At Pfizer, our colleagues
work every day to help people stay happier and healthier longer and to
reduce the human and economic burden of disease worldwide.
    Notes to editors:
    Other Pfizer initiatives:
    Zithromax/chloroquine clinical trial program -- Pfizer scientists
currently are developing a potential malaria treatment based on its widely
used antibiotic Zithromax. Dosed in combination with chloroquine, Zithromax
has demonstrated positive results against malaria in a pilot study.
Clinical studies are ongoing at 19 centers in 10 countries in South
America, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia and Africa.
    Clinton Global Initiative (GCI) -- Pfizer has joined a collaborative
effort to address global health issues by committing $15 million to help
close critical treatment gaps in malaria in Senegal, Ghana and Kenya.
Through the CGI, Pfizer is partnering with governments, leading local and
international organizations like UNICEF, the World Health Organization and
the President's Malaria Initiative (USAID), and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) to help develop and strengthen programs for the
effective treatment and management of malaria.
    Global Health Fellows -- The program sends Pfizer colleagues on
assignments to work with non-governmental and multi-lateral organizations
addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria.
     * Since 2003, more than 100 Fellows have been selected to work with 23
       non-governmental organizations in 29 countries to deliver healthcare
       and health system support to those in need around the world.
    Infectious Diseases Institute -- Pfizer partners with the Academic
Alliance Foundation, Makerere University, Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation,
the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and other organizations to
support training and treatment activities of the Infectious Diseases
Institute (IDI) in Kampala, Uganda. This regional training and treatment
center is empowering the local healthcare providers to care for a
population desperately in need of HIV/AIDS treatment and to train others.
     * Since 2004, the IDI has trained more than 1,000 healthcare providers
       from 22 African countries.

    * The center has delivered care to more than 19,000 patients so far.

    * IDI is also partnering with Exxon Mobil to expand training programs to
      include the latest advances in malaria diagnosis, treatment and patient
      care.
    Diflucan Partnership Program -- Diflucan(R) (fluconazole), an
antifungal that treats two fungal opportunistic infections associated with
AIDS, is provided free of charge to governmental and non-governmental
organizations in developing countries.
     * The program has donated approximately $375 million in medicine to
       organizations who treat HIV positive patients with life-threatening
       fungal infections. The program is active in 47 countries hardest hit by
       HIV/AIDS.

     * Since 2000, the Diflucan Partnership Program supported the training of
       20,000 health professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of fungal
       opportunistic infections.
    International Trachoma Initiative -- A public-private partnership
dedicated to eliminating trachoma, the world's leading cause of preventable
blindness, through health worker training, patient education and donations
of the antibiotic, Zithromax(R) (azithromycin).
     * The ITI has given 37 million treatments of Zithromax(R) (azithromycin)
       to trachoma patients in 12 countries as part of the WHO SAFE strategy
       that combines prevention and treatment. Since 1998 the program has
       supported the training of thousands of health workers around the world
       who, in turn, have completed more than 220,000 surgeries to treat
       advanced cases of trachoma.

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CONTACT:
Joel Morris, in UK, +44-1304-648922, or
Stephen Lederer, in US, +1-860-732-9783, for Pfizer; or Jamie
Guth of TDR Communications, +41-22-791-1538, cell,
+41-79-441-2289, for WHO

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